As I more and more step into the world of professional photography, I am expected to create a story of my work. This process has been challenging in that I feel that my work comes from an instinct to see the emotions that a photo will evoke rather than a conscious process. But I am up to the challenge and have taken the first step by creating an..

ARTIST STATEMENT

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away.” – Maya Angelou

From the anticipation of the first barrel by a barrel racer to the white shirt and lariat of a roper at a branding to the look of a curious lamb, horse, calf or cow, my photos capture a moment in time in a life that may or may not be familiar to you, and gives a glimpse into the emotion of the experience. As I go about #mymontanalife, I capture the everyday traditions and experiences of life in the American West. With my camera always by my side, I can’t resist that urge to capture that different view or isolated moment that tells the story.

My work captures the play of natural light on the scene and is enhanced by being printed on metal. Like the holograms of the 1970s, the effect is having many pictures in one depending on how the light hits the photograph. In some cases, I have found that I can enhance the impact of the photo by creating graphic art. I use the software to add color and texture to my photos and create a whole new reality. My work was featured on the cover of the NILE Livestock Premium Book in 2015, Northern International Livestock Exposition (NILE) Stock Show and Rodeo, selected as the cover photo for the 2018 Western Ranch Spring Catalog (representing calving season) and won Contest Finalist in At The Rodeo Photo Contest on Viewbug.com in 2015.

I have followed many paths in my life – all focused on finding the story. Growing up in northern Alaska, I was curious about how the natural world worked. When I went to college, I continued to hone my ability to understand and test the world around me as my passion for research grew. Eventually, I got my Ph.D. at Yale University and started working for a large pharmaceutical company telling their research story. I moved to Montana and now help faculty at Montana State University tell their story to grant funding agencies. With photography, I have embarked on a different kind of storytelling, not of facts and figures, but of people and animals, their lives intertwined - capturing the emotions and impact of everyday adventures.

”There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” – Maya Angelou